Holiday cheer for Aids ministry

Orphans and other vulnerable children in Soweto will be eating more healthily with a donation from a multinational health company in commemoration of World Aids Day.
CHRISTMAS came early for vulnerable and orphaned children at the Ikageng Itireleng Aids Ministry in Soweto, after they received a donation of nutritional supplements and health products worth R200 000.

Volunteers help out at Ikageng Itireleng Aids MinistryVolunteers help out at Ikageng Itireleng Aids MinistryThe centre houses more than 3 000 children from just over 5 000 households; some are affected and infected by HIV/Aids. They received the packages from a multi-national health company, Tiens Africa Region, on 21 November.

The centre also received R10 000 cash which will take care of other needs for the day to day running of the centre.

The donations are given to the centre on an annual basis in observation of World Aids Day commemorated on 1 December.

Carol Dyantyi, the founding director of Ikageng Itireleng Aids Ministry, said that Tiens Africa Region has been a supporting member. “For a long time now, the company has been helping us with donations of health products for HIV positive mothers and for the children.

“They also helped us with donating nutritional food, which is necessary for children living with HIV to keep healthy. We will use part of the R 10 000 cash to buy more healthy food for the children, so that they could also enjoy and feel the spirit of Christmas,” said Dyantyi.

The company also organises sports events including soccer tournaments on a on a regular basis. Sports activities contribute to the health of the children, added Dyantyi.

The centre regularly identifies vulnerable children through referrals from schools. “Teachers are able to identify these children who need help,” she said. Other children are identified through the database provided by the provincial department of social development.

She said civil society organisations and churches also play a role in identifying needy and vulnerable children, who are then linked to the centre.

Dyantyi said it is important for government to work with private sector organisations to help fund these kinds of initiatives, as the number of vulnerable children increases daily. “We always appreciate people who are willing to help us so that we can continue helping more children,” she said.

Ikageng Itireleng Aids Ministry was established in 2002; today it provides a range of services to the targeted households, orphaned and vulnerable children in the community of Soweto.

The support services for households and orphaned and vulnerable children are clustered into psychosocial, nutritional, educational, economic and skills development. They also offer households material support services.

The centre also runs with the help of community volunteers, since the number of beneficiaries has increased rapidly.